Los Angeles history

Low Turnout Feared in City Primary; Ladies' Days at the Ballpark, May 7, 1929

May 7, 2009 | 6:00
am

Newspaper design as it was practiced in the 1920s: An eight-column page with an editorial cartoon front and center above the fold as the only art.

Lee Shippey was one of The Times' institutions for many years. In addition to a column, he wrote several books, including "It's an Old California Custom" and "The Luckiest Man Alive."

I had been reading his material for several years before I realized he was blind--the result of an accident in which he was exposed to some fumes while working as a proofreader at the Kansas City Times. He retired in 1949 and died in 1969 at the age of 86. He once said: "I never saw humanity clearly until I lost my sight."

At left, an ad for Alexander and Oviatt at Olive near Sixth. Above, $38 to San Francisco is $456.13 USD 2007.

Above, sound films from 1929, including Laurel and Hardy's first talkie, "Unaccustomed as We Are," which features Thelma Todd. And the main feature, "Black Watch," with Myrna Loy and Victor McLaglen.

Early episodes of "Gasoline Alley," "Harold Teen" and "Winnie Winkle," plus "The Gumps."

Above, solving or discussing "woman's oldest hygienic problem" was a theme in the early Kotex ads.

Los Angeles Angels owner William Wrigley was in trouble with his
fellow Pacific Coast League bosses. His offense? He let women into
Wrigley Field for free.

Four owners and a representative of another team voted to "rebuke"
Wrigley, Harry B. Smith reported in The Times from San Francisco.
Wrigley was having none of it, threatening to close Wrigley Field and
play in a smaller park if not allowed to make every game free for women.

Money, of course, played in big role in the dispute. The other
owners wanted a bigger share of the attendance and the Angels' threat
to close Wrigley Field would result in even more lost revenue. And
you've got to figure Wrigley loved the publicity and figured he'd draw
more fans in the long run.

"Instead of taking away from $7,000 to $10,000 checks the visiting
clubs will be able to take out only $1,000 for their local series,"
said J.H. Patrick, president of the Angel City Baseball Assn. "The
other league owners may think Mr. Wrigley is bluffing but if they
continue to be foolish in their actions they'll find out he means
business."

The owners wanted Wrigley to charge women on Saturdays, Sundays and the first games of series.